Thursday and More

Busy Thursday!  It began with an appt. at the bank at 9:30am...just to get there and realize their mistake had finally been corrected so I didn't even need to be there.

View of the vineyards in Sherwood.

Then to the library to drop off some books.

To the post office to mail two sets of grades.

To Fred Meyer to cash in cans/bottles and to refill my 5 gallon water bottles.

Then Wal-Mart.

A little afternoon treat after cleaning the house when I got home. :)

Enjoying the afternoon sun doing schoolwork with Summer.

Max loved the backyard time too!  Chewing on his stick and chasing his ball.

Working on a tray for the hubby's office party tomorrow. :)

Pumpkin carving creations. :)

Thursday sunset.

I wanted to share the special memorial that is in the cemetery where I walk.  It is an affiliate of the National Memorial of the Unborn that is located in TN.  It was created for those who have lost a baby through abortion to gain hope and healing.  I am happy this is where I walk and it can remind me to pray for this matter.

Dinner was chicken and red potatoes - a crockpot meal. 

Pumpkin Carving Party

 

One thing I love about Oregon is the fog.  Fog has always been something I loved since I was a kid.  These are some photos of the fog I took on my morning walk.

My bedroom is coming together.

Wednesday was a lot of house cleaning! Everything from bathrooms to mopping to dusting.

Made a recipe - Beef Lo Mein for dinner.  It was ok.  I don't always care for the wilted spinach in recipes.  I am wondering if it could be replaced with something else.

Wanted to make something fun for our family pumpkin carving party.  After two attempts, I made these "eyeball" deviled eggs.  If you look close, there are supposed to be "veins" on the whites of the eggs.  The olive is the center of the eye.

Let me just let you know that if you serve these later than you make them...the veins kind of melt and the egg just turns pink.  Sigh.  All that work.  LOL!

I also made a hot artichoke dip with chips.

Rachel made adorable candy corn rice krispies and spider peanut butter cookies!  She is so good at that!

Having a big fun messy time! :)

After pumpkin carving, we watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!".  Don't you just love the Charlie Brown holiday movies?

We cleaned all the pumpkin seeds and toasted them with a little butter spray, cajun seasoning, garlic, pepper and kosher salt.  Yum!

Chicken Tortilla Bake and My New Fence

Hey!  We made it to midweek. :)  I wanted to update you from the rest of our weekend.

First, we have Max who follows me around ALL morning from the time I get up.  Here I am in our closet and he's standing right there.  Ha!

Church Sunday morning.

Then the hubby started to finish the fence he started on Saturday.

For Sunday lunch, I made Chicken Tortilla Bake.  

Here is the recipe from Taste of Home:

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cans chopped green chilies - 4 oz. each

1 cup chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 small onion, finely chopped

12 corn tortillas, warmed

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream and green onions, optional

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, chilies, broth, soup and onions; set aside.  Layer half of the tortillas in a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Top with half of the chicken mixture and half of the cheese.

Repeat layers.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with sour cream, salsa, avocado, green onions, black olives - whatever you like!

*I baked covered with foil.  My preference.

I served this casserole with a Southwest salad and hominy on the side. :)

Need an easy way to cook your chicken?  

Put a couple chicken breasts in your crockpot with a couple cups of chicken broth.  Let the crockpot do the work!  When cooked through, just take out and shred and then set aside for whatever recipe you are making. :)

Had a couple of pretty chilly mornings!

Photos Monday morning of my finished fence!  Great job, babe!

Flowers from one of my bushes here.

Enjoying my new fence from my desk. :)

With some hot apple cider.

Monday - I had to go back to the bank.  They didn't issue me a debit card for our new checking account.  (Not happy having to go back after two hours there on Saturday.)

Also did a few errands I needed to get done.

Chiropractor.

House keys made at Ace Hardware.

Fred Meyer for a few things.

Took a couple photos on my way back from the chiropractor - Mt. Hood.  So spectacular!

Sierra mowing the lawn for the first time.

This is special to me.  On our trip cross country in 2019, we visited a multitude of sites from the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder.  We visited Walnut Grove, MN and the girls and I went wading in Plum Creek - the same creek where she played in as a young girl.  I bought this poster at the gift shop while in the area and I finally got it framed and up.  

Ever have something that when you look at it, it evokes all the good memories and feelings?  THIS does for me. :)

Tuesday is my grocery shopping day at Winco.  Also got pumpkins for carving for the girls.

It was a beautiful day - sat in the backyard and played with Max and then finished up nine weeks grades for Sierra and Summer.

I made ham, egg and cheese burritos for dinner. 

A few pictures from the youth activity the kids went to on Saturday evening. :)

We are having a family pumpkin carving party tonight - I'll post more pics of that tomorrow.  Have a great day!

Honey Beez Fries and Fence Building

Just a pretty picture from my morning walk with Max.  Yes, I walk in a cemetery.  It borders our neighborhood and is quiet, peaceful and relaxing.

My sister treated me to a lunch out on Wednesday!  A little Mexican place in Newberg - Ixtapa.  Good food and service!

Thursday and Friday, I really tried to concentrate on school and nine weeks tests.  With packing and moving and living with family and then getting our own place and trying to settle in...augh!  I needed to get somewhat settled in plus all those errands and to do's that come with moving to a new place.  Finally I feel like I can concentrate more on school.

Thursday night, we went to my sister's to all watch the Presidential debate.

Pretty sunrise Friday morning.

After tying up more loose ends...mailing a few thank you's, paying a couple bills, setting up our new home and auto insurance and canceling the old policies, and more...I sat down to do school and man did I feel wiped out.  It's been a very long time since I had a cup of afternoon coffee but I definitely was needing this one!

I mean, as long as they get their book read, right?  LOL!

Made a shredded teriyaki sandwich with mayo, colby cheese, red onion, tomato, romaine and avocado on a chewy Panera bread.  Steak fries on the side for dinner. Yummy!

Saturday morning, hubby and I hit up our local Ace Hardware and lumber lot for supplies for a part of our fence we are rebuilding.  I have to say this Ace is pretty unique.  I mean, most Ace Hardware's have a little bit of everything but this one really does and it has some really nice items!

Then at 10am, we had an appointment at the bank to get our accounts set up.  Since we had many to get going - it took two hours.  Augh!  But at least it is done.

Then it was time to start on the fence.  While Eric was doing that, I tried to tackle some of the vegetation.  

I have a long way to go but it is a small start.  And it is late fall so not much I can do anyway.

Start of the new part of the fence and gate!

Since the three oldest went to a youth activity and Summer went to Rachel's to hang out with Jack, Eric and I went on a date to the Honey Beez food truck here in Newberg.  My sister had recommended the Bees Fries and boy, were they good!

Fresh cut fries topped with smoked pulled pork, cheese, a pinch of mango slaw, and green onion.  Topped with sweet chili mayo, siracha ketchup and Honey Beez sauce.

Will definitely get this again!

Super chilly today -- ready to get to my nice, warm bed! :)